Wednesday, July 10 2019 17:44

ArmInfo.The Armenian delegation was  able to prevent the adoption of anti-Armenian language in the OSCE PA  resolution. This was stated on July 10 at a press conference by the  head of the Armenian delegation in the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly,  MP from the "My Step" bloc Hayk Konjoryan.

He noted that the OSCE political commission discussed the draft  proposed by the Irish MP, which, according to the MP, was attended by  anti-Armenian provisions related to the Karabakh conflict. In  particular, the wording of "Nagorny Karabakh and 7 regions of  Azerbaijan" found its place in the project.  "As soon as we learned  about the existence of this project, we began to apply all possible  levers, using parliamentary diplomacy and connecting the Ministry of  Foreign Affairs, to eliminate these formulations from the resolution.  In this issue, we have been successful, and anti-Armenian wordings  has been removed from the resolution, " Konjoryan said.

However, according to the MP, the success of the Armenian delegation  did not end there. <Further, the document introduced a provision that  the Karabakh conflict should be resolved in the format of the OSCE  Minsk Group on the basis of three principles - the non-use of force  or the threat of the use of force, territorial integrity and the  right of nations to self-determination. In this issue, for us the key  factor is the component related to the right of peoples to  self-determination, " Konjoryan said.

Konjoryan also noted that Azerbaijan is constantly trying to withdraw  the negotiation process from the format of the OSCE Minsk Group and  use all possible platforms to advance its position. "Moreover, Baku  is constantly trying to present the Karabakh issue as a conflict  between Armenia and Azerbaijan, which is completely untrue. We did  not let them do it. I consider it a great success that we were able  to confirm such a document at the level of the OSCE PA,"  the MP  stressed.

Through the efforts of the Armenian delegation, the document also  stated that the conflict should be resolved under the auspices of the  OSCE Minsk Group. In addition, provisions were removed that equate  all conflicts in the post-Soviet space. The document included  provisions on the Armenian Genocide. In particular, the adoption of  the resolution on the Armenian Genocide by the Italian Parliament and  the initiative of France to declare April 24 as Day of Remembrance of  the Genocide Victims, was welcomed.  The document calls on other  national parliaments of the OSCE countries to follow the example of  France and Italy.

To note, The Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security  and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE PA) at a meeting in Luxembourg  yesterday adopted a final declaration, which includes appeals to the  leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan to  intensify the dialogue on the  Karabakh settlement under the auspices  of the OSCE Minsk Group.  The  document also welcomes the recognition of the Armenian Genocide  by  the Chamber of Deputies of Italy, as well as France's announcement   of April 24 as the day of commemoration of the victims of the   Armenian Genocide. The declaration also calls on the parliaments of   other countries in the organization to follow the example of Italy   and France.  ''Acknowledging the efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group  Co-Chairmanship  aimed at achieving a peaceful and lasting settlement  of the  Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, and welcoming the recent  constructive  dialogue between the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan  aimed at  establishing an environment conducive to peace and  undertaking measures in the humanitarian field, we encourage the  leaders of  Armenia and Azerbaijan to intensify their dialogue in the  context of  the mediation led by the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship  and to take  specific and tangible measures to reach a peaceful  solution to the  Nagorno-Karabakh conflict on the basis of the core  principles of the  Helsinki Final Act, including in particular  refraining from the use  or threat of force, and respect for  territorial integrity and the  equal rights and self-determination of  peoples'', the Declaration  reads.  Recognizing that participating  States have a primary responsibility  to protect their populations  from genocide and atrocities, the  obligation under international  conventional and customary law to  ensure that those responsible for  acts of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes are held to  account, and that victims have  the right to an effective remedy, the  Organization welcomes the  recent recognition of the Armenian  Genocide by the Italian Chamber of  Deputies, as well as the  designation by France of 24 April as the day  for the commemoration  of the Armenian Genocide, as measures which promote awareness and  contribute to the eradication of such  atrocities, and calls on other  national parliaments to follow suit''.  The Declaration also calls on  OSCE national parliaments to adopt 9  December as the International  Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the  Victims of the Crime of  Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime,  as well as to ensure  that their educational systems and security  forces training are  geared towards the prevention of such atrocities  in the future.